Iran starts tests at its Bushehr nuclear plant

The 1000-megawatt power plant has a billion dollar price tag. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, but the United States and the West fear it might have military spin-offs.

Tehran (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Iran has launched a test run of its first nuclear power plant in the south-western port city of Bushehr. Mohsen Shirazi, a spokesman for Iran's atomic energy agency, said that the test includes injecting "virtual" fuel, made of lead, instead of nuclear fuel, into rods at the plant.

Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russia's state nuclear agency Rosatom, visited the plant today, along with his Iranian counterpart, Gholam Reza Aghazadeh.

Building on the 1000-megawatt power plant started in 1974 by a German company but was not completed because of the Islamic revolution in 1979.

A Russian Company named "Atomstroyexport" signed a contract to complete the project in 1995, which it did last year for at a cost of about US$ 1 billion

Kiriyenko said the construction of the plant was now complete and that it was in its pre-commissioning stage.

Iranian media said Wednesday's event would include testing of all of Bushehr's activities with special computer software.

Shirazi said that if the tests were successful fuel rods with enriched uranium would be used instead of lead.

The United States and other Western countries accuse Iran of building nuclear weapons and have called for new sanctions because of Iran’s refusal to allow inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Iran, which is the world’s fourth largest oil producer, has insisted all along that its nuclear programme is designed to generate electrical power.

Russia has resisted attempts by the West to impose sanctions on Iran, but has also repeatedly urged Tehran to co-operate with the IAEA.

Iran’s nuclear programme still seems central to its relations with Russia after US President Barack Obama said the United States was prepared to talk to Tehran.

e-mail this to a friend :

Iran starts tests at its Bushehr nuclear plant Middle East Iran The 1000-megawatt power plant has a billion dollar price tag. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, but the United States and the West fear it might have military spin-offs.

13/03/2009 RUSSIA – IRANIran “one or two years” from A-bomb, says Russian expertsThe head of a strategic arms research centre at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow says that once Iran gets a nuclear weapon it would be “untouchable” and could broaden its support for groups and movements like Hamas and Hizbollah. His statement contradicts his own government’s official position.

22/04/2010 IRAN – UNITED STATES – CHINABeijing trying to “water down” sanctions against TehranChina has proposed amendments to US-drafted sanctions. The mainland is Iran’s biggest trading partner, and depends on its energy supplies. The United States does not exclude the military option. Turkey offers to mediate.

As Iraqi troops advance in the Nineveh Plain and Mosul, a new wave of refugees could overshadow the fate of other refugees who found hospitality in Kurdistan. People need kerosene, winter clothes, aid for children, and money for rent. The campaign AsiaNews launched two years ago is more urgent than ever. Give up a superfluous gift to offer refugees an essential gift for life.

In a letter Fr. Samir Youssef describes the situation of refugees, exiled from their home for more than two years. They are closely following the offensive to retake Mosul, although their homes and churches "are for the most part" burned or destroyed. With the arrival of winter there is a serve lack of heating oil, clothes, food and money to pay for their children’s school bus. An appeal to continue to support the AsiaNews campaign.